Snapshots
by thelivinggirl
Summary: Different instances in Danny and Vlad's relationship. Non-linear. Vlad/Danny.
1. The Mall

**I normally hate author's notes because I don't believe in authorial intent, but as my first DP fanfic, here are a few;**

**1. Danny is not 14, but I didn't intentionally write him as 18; I was going for somewhere in the middle. I'm not going to get arrested for writing under-age Danny Phantom fanfic. But you can imagine him as 12 or 22 for all I care.**

**2. I don't intensely follow Danny Phantom, especially the later episodes - I watched it a few years back, and it was a good show, but I don't have any specific episodes from which the timeline in this fic deviates - I'm sure your mind can fill in the blanks.**

**3. Can we have some more in-character!Danny, please? I have a guilty pleasure for poorly written and characterized fanfiction, and it can be difficult to turn a obviously straight character and his nemesis into a couple, but he is not a wimpy Mary-Sue dressed up in a Danny suit for Vlad to dominate the shit out of.**

**That's it. Enjoy.**

"Why are we here again?" Vlad leaned against a railing, looking down from the second level of the mall.

"Because you're dating a teenager, and teenagers like the mall. Besides, I need to buy a present for Jazz's birthday." Danny easily replied. He sucked at a soda and looked his boyfriend over. It wasn't often that he saw him in anything other than a three-piece suit, lab gear, or a Packers jersey, but Daniel was glad he forced the older man into a simple button-down shirt and grey slacks. He looked good.

"Danny!" He looked over to see Sam and Tuck waving at him as they drew nearer. "Dude!" Tuck called, "Why didn't you say you were going to be- oh." The boy stopped short when he saw Vlad. Danny sighed. It was still so awkward when Vlad and his friends were in the same room.

"Sorry guys, I'm mostly just here to get a present for Jazz."

Tuck raised an eyebrow. "Danny, Jazz is a psych major, and you just came out of the closet and revealed that you're dating a guy your parent's age; that's the best present anyone could ever give her."

"Shut up. How about a locket or something?"

"I wouldn't go the jewelry route." Sam advised. "Remember what happened the last time you gave a girl a necklace?"

"Yeah, we wouldn't want a dragon-ized Jazz destroying Amity because she only got a 95% on a test instead of 100." Tucker added.

"Well," Vlad drawled, "You could always ask me for the money to get her some dreadfully heavy, expensive psychology book. I'll accept payment in sexual favors."

Sam and Tuck's jaws dropped.

"He's _kidding_!" Danny yelped and waved his arms about, equally scandalized. Unfortunately, this sent his soda raining down over the rail onto whoever was standing below.

Danny peeked over the edge to see a soaking-wet Dash seething up at him. "FENTON!" The jock bellowed, pointing his finger accusingly.

"Oh, _shit_!" Danny paled and prepared to sprint away when he felt Vlad's hand on his shoulder holding him back. "What are you _doing_! I need to get out of here and go ghost or he's gonna kick my-!"

"Just trust me." Vlad said, and looking up into the older man's cool blue eyes, Danny did. Clearly Sam and Tuck did at least a little as well, because they weren't running either.

Dash appeared, furious but slightly weary – somewhere in his jock brain, he could sense a trap. Still, he persevered. "You're gonna be so dead by the time I'm through with you!" He stalked forward.

"Excuse me," Vlad spoke up, "What do you think you're doing?"

Dash appraised the older man, as adults usually throw a wrench in beating people up, before sticking his hands in his pockets. "Nothing." He glared venomously at Danny. "For _now_, at least."

"Oh good!" Vlad said brightly, "Because you see, I care _very_ much about Daniel's welfare."

"_Right_." Dash seethed, forcing a smile on his face. "Good thing _Fenton_ and I are such _great friends_, then." Danny shifted uncomfortably next to Vlad.

Vlad's smile became absolutely poisonous. "Because if I even heard _one thing_ about some big, stupid athlete so much as _upsetting_ Daniel, I'd have to, I don't know, _fire his father from the plant that I own_."

Dash gulped, eyes wide with fear, flicking between Danny and Vlad. "I- I have to go!" And with that, he turned and fled back to the first level.

The three remaining teens stared at Vlad.

"Vlad…" said Danny.

"That was _kick-ass_!" Sam yelled.

"_Dude_, where have you _been_ all my life?" Cried Tuck, "Do you have any idea how many times we could have used you before?"

Vlad smiled – a _genuine_ smile that reached his eyes – and simply wrapped his arm around Danny's waist, the brunet too shocked to protest. "No one touches what's mine."

Danny made a face and shrugged out of his grasp. "Don't be creepy about it," he muttered, "I don't _belong_ to you."

"Of course not, Daniel." Vlad said patronizingly and drew the boy back into his grasp.

"Danny, don't be ungrateful, Vlad just got rid of Dash for you." Sam said.

Danny glared. "Don't you have a rally to attend?"

"Oh yeah! We're holding a protest for more organic fruits and vegetables at the grocery store – let's go, Tuck!"

"But I _hate _vegetables…" The boy sulked as she grabbed his arm and dragged him out.

She ignored him. "Bye Danny! Bye Vlad! Good luck shopping!" She called as they disappeared out the sliding doors.

As soon as they were out of sight, Vlad put his other hand on Danny's hip, gently pushing the young man against the railing. "What do you say we leave, and you take me up on my extremely generous offer?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "How about we don't, and you buy me a new soda?"

Vlad frowned. "Why should I do anything for you, since you do nothing for me?"

Danny frowned right back. "You mean I don't let you fuck me at every opportunity – there's a difference, Vlad."

"Don't pout, Daniel, it isn't as attractive outside the bedroom."

Danny threw him a look. "You're unbelievable." He said disgustedly, heading to move around the older man.

"Wait." Vlad grabbed his wrist. "I'm sorry, Daniel. I'll try to be more considerate of your feelings." He lifted the wrist to his mouth, pressing a kiss to the soft inside skin. "Now, little badger, what would you like to do?"

"Well…" Danny said doubtfully, "We could go to the bookstore and look at some books that _I_ can afford."

"Sounds like a plan." Vlad slid his hand down to Danny's, interlacing their fingers as they walked. He was pleased to feel his young lover's fingers briefly squeeze his in return, a faint blush rising on his cheeks.

"You like it when I'm chivalrous." Vlad observed knowingly.

"…shut up."

…

They walked out of the store some time later, having purchased a book entitled _Don't Forget About Yourself – an Overachiever's Guide to Relaxation_. "I suppose you think you're terribly clever." Vlad drawled.

Danny shrugged. "I do what I can. Food court?"

Vlad looked pained. "Daniel, I have offered time and time again to take you to some of the finest restaurants in America – in the _world_ - and you want to go to the _food court_?"

"Yep!" Said the teen happily.

And that is how Vlad Masters, half-ghost billionaire, came to be sitting at a sticky table staring down at a Nasty burger. He looked up at his companion, who was happily putting away three burgers along with a soda (paid for by Vlad) and fries.

Vlad glared. "You won't have that figure forever, you know." He said moodily.

"Awww, is someone a jealous little frootloop?" Danny cooed, slurping happily on carbonated sugar.

"No, I'm simply pointing out that you'll look like your father within a few years with those eating habits."

"Nah, dad's always been husky; I got my mom's metabolism." He suddenly narrowed his eyes. "And no, I don't want to you to comment on my mom's figure, thank you."

"Daniel, for the _last time_, I am no longer interested in your mother!"

"Right, so you won't mind if I start talking about Paulina?"

Vlad glared. "That is uncalled for. I didn't bring up your mother, you did."

Danny continued to look at him suspiciously for a moment, then relented. "Alright…"

The corner of Vlad's mouth quirked up. "You're awfully cute when you're jealous, Daniel." Danny promptly choked on a mouthful of burger.

"Well you can't expect me to be totally cool about the fact that you were obsessed with my _mom_ for twenty-odd years!"

"You just have to get over it, just like I get over the fact that most of your passwords are _still_ 'MrsPaulinaFenton'. At least my holographic lab assistant now models itself after you."

"Jeeze, I haven't gotten around to changing them yet! Wait a minute, how do you know my passwords?" Danny glowered.

"Your entire database is painfully easy to hack, Daniel. Did you think that your facebook had _magically_ changed to 'interested in men and women' and 'is in a relationship'?"

"That was _you_? Dude, you outed me to the entire school! I thought it was Jazz or Technus or something!"

"And exactly _how_ would Technus know your sexual preference?"

"Are you _joking_? You think me and Technus- _no!_ My point was that _someone_ hacked my profile and I didn't know who it was!"

The two glared at each other across the table. Right then, a middle-aged woman and her daughter walked up to the table. "Excuse me, but are you and your son finished eating? We'd like a place to sit."

"I'm not his _son_, I'm his _boyfriend_!" Danny snapped. The woman's eyes went wide, and Danny's mind caught up to what his mouth just said. Muttering apologies, he stood and nearly ran into the men's room.

Snagging the handicapped stall, he slumped against the wall and sighed. Is this what his life had become, arguing with _Vlad-fucking-Masters_ in a food court and yelling at moms and their kids?

"Well that was quite impressive, little badger." A disembodied voice sounded in front of him. Plasmius materialized, quickly turning back into Vlad. "I didn't realize that our age difference bothered you that much."

Danny shrugged, simply too drained to fight anymore. "'s just _annoying_." He mumbled. "I can't _ever _be normal. I can't be straight, I can't be _human_, I can't even date a guy my own age."

Vlad was quiet for a moment. "Daniel, I'm not sure what I can do to fix any of that." He stepped closer to the boy, and was surprised when Danny pushed himself off the wall slouch against Vlad in an embrace, nuzzling into the older man's neck. Sometimes it surprised even Danny how much he had grown since first meeting Vlad – he was now only a few inches shorter, rather than the full head he was before.

"We do nothing but fight all the time." He continued, his voice muffled. "And I don't mind it, usually, because I like arguing with you like that, but at the same time it's so exhausting. I really just… want to be happy, without having to pretend I'm not because I feel like you'll make fun of me for it."

Vlad stroked his back as he listened to his lover. "Daniel..." He said softly.

"And I know I act like a prude." His voice cracked a little, "But I'm a teenage boy, I probably think about sex more than you do! It's just that I don't want that to be all this relationship is, and you bring it up so often, I start to get paranoid that you're only putting up with me to get it. And people _stare_. I should get used to it, but I hate the fact that I can't kiss you or touch you in public without wondering if people think I'm a slut who hangs around rich, older guys for money."

"Oh Daniel," Vlad sighed against his ear. "My little badger. Why don't you tell me these things when we aren't in a public restroom?"

Danny laughed hollowly. "Just good timing, I guess."

"For one," Vlad kissed his forehead, "I adore sparring with you as well, but I grow just as tired of it. Just tell me, and I'll treat you as courteously as you deserve. And never be afraid that I will laugh at you for being yourself, Daniel. I may laugh because you amuse me, or because I am happy that you are happy, but I will never try to belittle your feelings.

"And finally, you are the most amazing, energetic, exciting bed partner I have ever had. I love you, I am mad for you, I can never get enough of you, and that is why I allude to sex so often. Not only is bedding you itself a practically _religious_ experience, but it also involves me having you alone with no one and nothing distracting you away. That is what I love more than anything else."

Danny was silent for a long time, fingers cramping into the nice fabric of Vlad's shirt as the older man's fingers never ceased playing up his back. Finally, he quietly asked, "Why the hell are you so perfect right when I need it?"

Vlad squeezed him tight for a moment. "I'd say that it's because we are meant to be together, but I'm sure that you'd laugh me out of the stall."

"… Do you really think that?"

"That we are meant for each other? Without a doubt."

Danny wriggled a little, drawing his head back to look Vlad in the eyes. "Then I won't laugh."

They leaned in for a kiss, lips meeting and parting smoothly as their tongues touched and stroked, long and slow. Danny backed away to say something, but his boyfriend seemed much more interested in occupying his mouth in other ways.

Kiss. "Vlad?" Kiss.

"Hmm?" Kiss.

"Maybe you could call-" Kiss. "the limo."

"Mmm."

Kiss. "Vlad." Kiss.

"Mmm." Kiss.

Danny turned his head away. "Vlad!"

"What, Daniel?" The older halfa kissed down his neck instead.

"Call the limo. I'd like to give you a little undivided attention."

"Mmm." Vlad assented around Danny's collarbone, reaching into his pocket to hit a button on his cell phone. Danny felt a surge of energy as Vlad transformed to his ghost state and turned them both intangible, still kissing, as they sunk through the bathroom floor.

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	2. Fenton Belt

"I am the Box Ghost!"

"Shut up, shut up, shut UP!" Danny roared, covering his ears and slamming his forehead into _The Grapes of Wrath_. Why won't the stupid ghost just _go away_?

"I control all box-shaped objects! I bend their six sides, twelve edges, and eight vertices to my will!" The Box Ghost peered out from the cardboard box currently holding all the clothes he was giving away to the Salvation Army in the corner of his room.

"_Please_ go away!" Danny begged.

"Fear me!"

The doorbell rang and Danny leapt up from his chair, thankful for any excuse to get away from Box Ghost. Peeking out the window first, the halfa sighed and sullenly opened the door.

"Hi, Vlad."

"Hello, my… Daniel, what are you wearing?"

Danny dropped his eyes to the green and chrome belt wrapped around his waist. "Just come in." He groused.

Danny abandoned the man in the entry to flop face-down on the couch while Vlad looked around. "And where are your parents this evening?"

"Out fighting ghosts." _Instead of me_ was left unsaid.

The older man sat regally on the Fenton's thoroughly middle-class couch. "So they put the Fenton Belt on you to keep you from getting distracted. Not quite the end of the world, is it?"

"It's not exactly a great feeling when your parents put a glorified leash on you, Vlad." Danny's voice was muffled into the cushions.

"All the same, I'm sure that having one night off, even one imposed by Maddie and Jack, isn't all bad."

"No," said Danny before he flipped onto his back, propping his socked feet in Vlad's lap. "but this fucking belt is keeping me from kicking the Box Ghost's ass up in my room, and he's seriously annoying me."

Vlad's hand encircled one of Danny's ankles, the other hand rubbing his calf soothingly. "Your parents need to work on their Fenton Shield." He muttered disapprovingly. "Would you like me to go take care of him for you?"

"Not right now," Danny yawned. "I just finished my homework for once, and that feels _really_ good."

Vlad laughed, gently kneading into the muscle. Danny practically purred as a smile rose on his face and his eyes slid shut.

"Falling asleep on me, little badger?" Vlad teasingly asked.

"Mmm. I'll make it up to you sometime." The teen said lazily.

The grey-haired man let go of the leg to grasp Danny's hand, pulling him into a sitting position. "Come. You'll be more comfortable on your bed."

"Nng," Danny protested, "'s comfortable here. Besides, you're just trying to get into my bed…"

"Don't make me carry you."

Danny snorted. "I'd like to see you try – I'm heavier than I look."

Vlad glared at the implied jab at his strength. "Fine. I'll just have to find another way to get you up." And with that, he started pinching the teen's vulnerable flesh.

"Hey- ow! Stop that! Ow! Cut it out! Vlad! Ah, quit it!" In an unconscious defense against the sudden physical attack, Danny's ghost powers flared. "AH!" He yelped as a painful electric surge ran up his body.

Just like that, Vlad's hands stopped pinching and smoothed over Danny's skin, trying to sooth the jolt of pain and hissing in sympathy. "Daniel dear, I'm so sorry."

Daniel just glared balefully.

With a sigh, Vlad stood and retook Danny's hand. Before the brunet knew what was happening, he was slung over Vlad's shoulder. "H-hey!"

"Goodness, you are heavy." Vlad somewhat grunted. "I'm surprised I didn't really notice before. Now don't wriggle about, or I'll drop you on your head."

"Oh fuck you." Danny said to Vlad's lower back. All the same, he didn't struggle; it wouldn't do to break the old frootloop's back, after all. Danny was dumped onto his bed, sighing blissfully as he nestled into his pillow, but it didn't last long as a box was thrown at his head, covering him in old clothes.

"I am the Box Ghost! Fear me!" Thankfully, a few shots of ectoplasm from Plasmius had him running scared. Danny shook and kicked his bed free of excess clothing, and the bed dipped as Vlad took a seat. Humming contentedly, Danny waited until Vlad settled in before strewing an arm and leg across the older halfa like an octopus.

"Daniel, your chin is digging into my shoulder." Danny sighed and re-adjusted until they _both_ were comfortable. "So your plan is to keep me captive here while you sleep?"

"Hmm. You could always take that time to defile my innocent, waiting body."

There was a long pause.

"I was kidding, Vlad."

"Right, of course."

Danny huffed against Vlad's shirt. "You're such a pervy frootloop, you know that?"

"Not at all, Daniel. Just a man with diverse interests."

"How on earth are your interests 'diverse'? They all center around sex!"

"But my dreams of seeing you in a maid's outfit and wanting to make love to you in a public environment are two very different things!" Vlad said innocently.

"Well shut up, I don't even care right now. This is my first night to sleep in ages, and I'm exhausted."

Vlad rubbed the back of Danny's neck soothingly. "Yes, of course. Go to sleep, I'll be here."

…

Danny leveled into awareness, feeling as though he had been asleep for a very long time. He curled and uncurled his fist into… some fabric. Soft fabric, much nicer than anything he owned.

Vlad. Vlad was here, it was his shirt. Danny peeked open his eyes and saw nothing but buttons and burgundy silk. Somehow, he found the motivation to look up, greeted by a wry smile and blue eyes. "Have a nice rest, Daniel?"

"How long was I out?" His voice was hoarse and mouth felt cottony, probably from sleeping with his mouth open.

"Just over fourteen hours. I hope you don't mind, but I left to change my clothes and walk around when your parents came in. They took off the Fenton Belt, by the way."

Danny stretched and groaned, feeling a few vertebra pop. Smiling contentedly, he maneuvered himself onto Vlad, propping his chin on the man's collarbone. "So tell me, how bad does my breath smell?" He puffed a bit of air into Vlad's face.

The older man wrinkled his nose, but didn't dump the boy off in disgust. "Less than fresh."

Danny laughed and leaned in for a short kiss anyway. "Did I drool on you?"

"Yes," Vlad played with a piece of Danny's thick mop of hair. "On my new shirt, too."

"Sorry." Danny quickly nuzzled his head under Vlad's goatee for forgiveness, smile pressing into the man's shirt.

"You are in an _astonishingly_ good mood, Daniel. Normally you're so grumpy when you wake up."

"I'm waking up after a full night's sleep without my ass aching. Why wouldn't I be in a good mood?" He sat back so he was straddling Vlad's thighs, yawning happily. "I need to shave," he commented, rubbing the stubble on his jaw. "And brush my teeth. Shower. All those things that keep me semi-attractive."

"_Very_ attractive," Vlad corrected, grasping the backs of Danny's thighs as he leaned up and deeply kissed the young man in his lap. "And you certainly aren't unattractive even like this."

Danny groaned and pulled away. "As much as I'd love to stay and let you-" he let out a slight whimper as Vlad squeezed his ass, "_fuck me into the mattress_, my parents will check on me if I don't show my face soon."

Vlad actually _growled._ "Daniel, I cannot tell you exactly how much I _don't care_."

Danny pushed him away. "No, really. My parents are barely, _barely_ accepting this relationship as it is. Do you really want to break that by shoving it in their faces?" Vlad made a face, and Danny sensed victory. "They're your friends, Vlad. They're kind of pissed at you now, yeah, but they'll get over that. Give them some time to recover before they see us making out."

Vlad was silent for a long moment, and then Danny was being shoved off the bed. "What?" He asked, confused and slightly angry that Vlad was acting like this. "What did I do?"

The older man pushed himself back until he was leaning against the bed frame. "It's incredibly frustrating." He said, rubbing his temple.

Danny rubbed his arm anxiously. "What is?"

"Trying to pick between ravishing your body and my friendship with your parents."

Danny visibly relaxed. "Shit, don't scare me like that! I thought-"

"Yes, things tend to go wrong when you do that, little badger."

Danny smiled. "Shut up, frootloop." He pressed a kiss to the side of the man's head. "Why don't you phase on outside and have my parents invite you in?" Vlad looked a little uncertain – a look that Danny simultaneously adored and wanted to kiss and never wanted to see again – so he added, "I could always walk down the stairs with just my towel before I 'realize' you're there."

Vlad smirked, confidence back. "That could certainly be arranged."

**I figured that maybe I'd draw Danny a little calmer than the emotional wreck he was last chapter. I do so love this pairing when they're all domestic-like.**

**AND: This chapter is in honor of sarahxoxoly, who sends me reviews and messages saying that being gay is wrong, and my stories are giving her and her friends the creeps. Feel free to send her lots of love.**

_**Reviews take less than 30 seconds, but make my entire day!**_


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